Setting goals for yourself is a crucial step in reaching your success; however, following through and achieving those goals is just as important. We often fall into the habit of setting goals and not actually going out to achieve them. Especially in this millenial age it’s easy for us to get lazy or lose patience when things don't happen right away. We live in a fast-paced world and want things to happen instantaneously, but that’s not how reality works. Good things take time.
My biggest barrier to success was my habit of procrastination. I’ve always been an avid procrastinator and planner. I love to plan out everything I need to do, but where I struggled the most was following through with those plans. I’m sure most can relate, but why work on a big project that's coming up when the new season of Riverdale is now on Netflix? But slowly I’ve come to the understanding that if I don't fix this and I’m not active with reaching my goals, I would never achieve the success I want.
I began to make small changes to build up a better work ethic and developed some tips to help in reaching the goals you set. Here’s some tips I learned along the way:
- Start with small goals
When you set a goal for yourself, it doesn't always have to be big. It can be as simple as drinking a glass of water every morning to reading a few pages of a book. Starting off small allows you to recognize the feeling of success and achievement and once you follow through with that flow, achievement becomes addicting.
- Some goals take time
It’s ok for things to not work right away. You’re going to fail sometimes, and the important thing is to learn from those failures. I like to look at failures more as an experience and opportunity to learn and fix what I did wrong. Realizing that some goals take longer will help you continue the process and not give up.
- Change your mindset
Attitude is everything; and if you get stuck in a negative attitude, you set yourself up for zero success. If you believe you can do something, you can do it; and when life happens and an unexpected variable comes into play, don’t just automatically think you’re doomed. Adapt and react . . . there’s no point in being negative, you just must work a little harder.
- Give yourself a break
As much as its important to work hard, it's just as important to relax and give yourself a break; otherwise you'll get burnt out. And getting burnt out might lead to loss of passion. Take time to breathe and take in your surroundings. Though it may feel like everything has stopped in its place, it hasn't!
- Be proactive
If you really want something, go out and get it. Take initiative and actively find ways to get what you want, otherwise it’s never going to come to you. Research and analyze ways to obtain your wants and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. If there’s an internship or job you want, go to the company with your resume and ask for an interview. Embrace being out of your comfort zone.
Overall, achieving your goals is not easy. If it was easy, then everyone would be successful. That's what sets successful people apart . . . their will and hard work. You can’t expect things to be handed to you; if you really want something, go get it. Anticipate failures and keep going. Remember the feeling of success and think about it whenever you come across a bump in a project and remember that hard work pays of